Dolby to take on IMAX with its own premium theatre experience

Dolby goes bigger

Dolby is a brand synonymous with high quality, eardrum-rattling audio, but that's starting to change with the recent introduction of Dolby Vision technology into the 4K television market.

Dolby Vision technology involves the displaying of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video which can reproduce light as it's seen in real life. The company boasts unprecedented contrast and colour quality.

Now the company is branching out even further, with plans to combine Dolby Vision with its Dolby Atmos audio technology in a large-format theatre experience called Dolby Cinema.

With Dolby Cinema, the company aims to take on the well known IMAX theatre chain and claim a piece of the premium movie-going market.

Wowing your peepers

With the first Dolby Cinema rolling out in the Netherlands later this month, the theatre experience promises to be a slick one, with a dynamic audio/video wall pathway that reflects the film you're about to see, and a clean and minimal interior design.

The cinema will be launching temporarily with 4K laser projectors until it's fitted with proper Dolby Vision projectors later in the year.

Now the company just has to convince movie studios to have their films undergo the Dolby Vision post-production process to make them compatible with the format, much like many other films do when being converted for IMAX presentation.

The Hollywood Reporter believes that Disney will probably be an early adopter, with its big upcoming films Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Tomorrowland to likely take advantage of the Dolby Cinema experience.